The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t in a good place in the standings right now when we consider the amount of talent on their roster. They have had a very erratic and inconsistent season, and have failed to go on a large winning run thus far.
There are still championship expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers, and there’s a chance that the Lakers will make some changes to their roster ahead of the trade deadline to achieve those goals. While some believe that the right move would be staying put and not making a move due to the amount of talent on the roster, the Lakers could potentially decide to shake things up due to the lack of results this season. Here are the Lakers’ best 3 options for a panic trade.
3. Eric Gordon
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Eric Gordon
Houston Rockets Receive: Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn
Eric Gordon has quietly had a very productive season as a veteran on the Houston Rockets. The 32-year-old guard is currently averaging 14.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, and 3.3 APG while shooting 44.5% from the 3PT range this season. It is easy to see how his shooting and supplementary shot creation will help the Los Angeles Lakers, and his playoff experience will be beneficial as well. Gordon would be a fantastic fit on the Lakers whether he’s a starter or in the 6th man role.
The trade package we have here was featured in an article by Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World. It would feature Eric Gordon moving to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn. Talen Horton-Tucker is a young guard that hasn’t had the opportunity to get many offensive touches on the Los Angeles Lakers to aid his development.
That would be different on the Houston Rockets. Horton-Tucker would slot in perfectly behind Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green as a 6th man, and could potentially start if the Houston Rockets implement a small-ball lineup in the future. Kendrick Nunn is a solid scorer, but he is less important in this scenario due to him potentially becoming a free agent at the end of the season. If Nunn ends up signing a new deal with the Rockets though, that could be beneficial for them either due to their ability to trade him later, or him becoming a rotational player. Essentially, this trade could help the Rockets get some assets for a veteran.
2. Devonte’ Graham
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Devonte’ Graham
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Talen Horton-Tucker, 2026 first-round pick (LAL)
Devonte’ Graham is currently the New Orleans Pelicans starting point guard. He is averaging 13.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 4.5 APG this season. He would be perfect to reduce some of the offensive and playmaking load on LeBron James on the roster, and he would be perfect as a 6th man that can come in and change the flow of the game. Graham’s ability to score from range efficiently and on high volume would also immensely help the Lakers’ spacing.
The Los Angeles Lakers would send out Talen Horton-Tucker and Malik Monk to get Devonte Graham in this trade scenario. Talen Horton-Tucker would likely immediately slot into Devonte’ Graham’s starting PG spot on the Pelicans, and that would be an opportunity for him to show what he can do.
Talen Horton-Tucker is a great slasher and solid defender and he’d have a fair amount of spacing on the New Orleans Pelicans with shooters such as Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas in this scenario. The 2026 first-round pick would be the extra draft compensation needed to get this deal done. This trade would give the Pelicans the opportunity to get a younger guard on the team while getting an extra pick in the process.
1. Myles Turner
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Myles Turner
Indiana Pacers Receive: Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, DeAndre Jordan, 2026 first-round pick (LAL)
Myles Turner would be pretty much the perfect big man for the Los Angeles Lakers in terms of fit. Myles Turner is a great rim protector and quality shooter. He is leading the league in BPG with 2.9 and is shooting 36.8% from range on 4.6 attempts a game. Having him would help the Los Angeles Lakers’ defense, as he and Anthony Davis would definitely make it extremely difficult for their opponents to score at the rim. His shooting would also be amazing to help the spacing around the Lakers’ stars.
Talen Horton-Tucker will once again be featured in this trade, as he is one of the Lakers’ best young talents. It was reported by Shams Charania that the Indiana Pacers may trade off some of their veterans to start a rebuilding process, and Horton-Tucker would be a great guard that they could acquire and develop for the future in this scenario. The 2026 Lakers pick could also be a great asset for the future.
The Kendrick Nunn and DeAndre Jordan contracts would both be salary filler in this deal, but if Kendrick Nunn re-signs after this year, this could be a great deal for the Indiana Pacers. Perhaps having more touches in Indiana could be appealing for the young guard, who has been a good scorer over the last few years. Overall, this has the potential of being a solid trade for both teams.
